Indicator for hotels



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.

' R. R. GAREAU.

INDICATOR EUR HOTELS. A No. 393,894. Patented Dec. 4, 1888.

PRES ENCE lNDllcATOR & MAIL DISTRIBUTER (No Model.) 2 sheets-sheen 2;.

R.R.GARBAU. INDICATOR FOR HOTELS.

N0.1393,894. A Patented Deo. 4, T1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EocH R. eAREAU, 'oF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

INDICATOR FOR HOTELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,894, dated December 4, 1888.

Application filed September 10, 1888. vSerial No. 285,065. (No model.)

1 in the county of IVay'ne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in `Indicators for Hotels, ofv which the following 1s a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

' This invention relates tonew and useful improvements in a combined presence-indicator and mailedistributer; and the object of may invention isto provide especially hotels and other buildings containing a large number ofoccupants, ofiice-holders, or employs with a convenient device displayed in the office of the hotel or other convenient place of the-building, whereby the guest or occupant of the building Inay on entering and departing indicate his absence or presence, his time of return, or other general information for the convenience of those wanting to see him without the necessity of searching for him or making tedious inquiry.

The object of my device is at the same time to fu-rnish a distributer for the mail.

To this end my invention consists of a ycase divided into a series of individual compartments, one for each guest, occupant, or oficeholder,`each compartment servin to receive the individual mail and bearing upon its front a door, upon which the different devices are displayed, by means of which the purpose of my invention is effected, all as more fully hereinafter set forth, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in whichnh Figure l is an elevation of my improved indicator and nIaIl-distributer. Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged elevations of the front face of one compartment. Fig. 4 is a horizont-al secwith a lock and key. Through this door or above it is provided a suitable slit, D, for introducing the mail into the compartments without opening the door.

Upon the upper portion of the door I display an ordinary clock-dial having the usual hour and minute hands, F and G, and a button, II, secured upon the shaft of the minutehand for conveniently and rapidly setting the hands at any desired time; or the shaft ol. the

minute-han d maybe turn ed by means of a suitable key. The object of this clock-dial is to enable the temporary possessor of the box to thereby indicate the hour of his return whenever heabsents himself.

Upon a subdivision of the door below the clock-dial I display the number of the room which the possessor of the box occupies, and this number I preferably display upon a detachable button, I, so as to readily change the number of the room or take the button off an d keep itin one of the drawers J at the bottom of the case if the box should not be in use. Next to this numbered button'a space, K, is provided, upon which the name of the occupant is displayed, either by writing it upon a card and securing such card in place in any suitable manner, or providing the space with a tablet of silicate, slate, parchment, or like material, which permits of writin and eifacing the writ-ing when the occupant chooses. The lower end of the door is provided with a recess, within which is independently journaled a series of index rollers or prisms, L, M, and N. The first roller or prism is marked upon its sides with the different ioors of the building, the second with the days of the week, and the third with the letters A. M. and 1). M. Y

Each roller is provided upon one end with a milled head, O, which projects slightly beyond the face of the door, and by means of which such roller may be rotated to display any one of its inscriptions upon the front face of the door. Thus, for instance, if t-he possessor of the box occupies a room on the second floor, he turns the roller L until the inscription Second Floor appears in front, and if the occupant wants to indicate that he will return on Tuesday he turns his second roller until the inscription Tuesday is displayed. Should he return in the morning, he

IOO

displays the inscription YLA. M. on the third roller. Thus the possessor of a box is enabled by means ot the clock-dial to indicate the l hour ot his return; by means of the roller M the day ot' his return, and by means ot` the roller N the time ot' day-meaning A. M. or I. M.

()n a spring-roller curtain, P, of usual eon- 1 struction, suitably arranged over the clockl dial, I mark the word lresent, which when the guest or occupant is in the room or ot'tice i isdrawn down over the cha-,k-dial and held in place by the pin Q, and when the guest or occupant is absenty trom the room or oltice is allowed to roll up out ot' view behind the y door 'lhe grouping ot' these ditierent devices upon the door may be varied without changing the spirit oi my invention. Thus, it' desired, it may be t'ound prelerable to place the roller L, which displaysthe tloor on which the occupant lives, in a group with the button indicating the number ot' the room. I pret'eri ably, however, place the rollers into one horil Zontal group t'or tixing therein, it" desired, the push-button S ot' an electrical call leading` to the room ot' the possessor ot' the box; but such device does not t'orm a necessary part ot' my present invention.

I pret'er to have the door partly constructed of glass to malie the contents ot` the box visible.

\\'hile I have described and shown the dilt'erent devices to be operated on the Face ot l the door without opening the door, I do not want to confine myself to this construction, as it may be advisable to have all thead'iustments ot' the movable parts from the inside, so that they may not be tampered with when the door is closed. I preferably provide the case upon the let't hand to act with a vertical series ot' boxes, l, inscribed on top Caller`s Card," and alongside ot' each box are placed numbers indicatingthe number ot' the rooms-- thus, it" the caller wishes, he may leave his card in the box alongside otnumber l5. This arrangement is not, however, a material part oi my device.

At the bottom of the case I arrange a series of drawers, J. Heretotore referred to. These drawers are for the convenience of the clerk in the hotel to keep the ditierent detachable parts-such as keys, buttons, aml so on-in a suitable place of deposit.

From the construction and description oi' the device heretofore given, itis evident that with the help ot' such a device the clerk in the hotel has his duty materially lessened, as he may ret'er any caller upon a certain guest to my indicator, which will impart to all the information generally required.

What I claim as my invention isl. In a device for the purpose described,

, the combination, with a t'rame or case divided into compartments or boxes provided with doors adapted to close and disclose such compartnuants, of a slit leading into each compartment, and a series of indicating devices displayed upon such door for indicating the number ot' the room, the floor on which said room is located, the name of the occupant and the time-indicating devices, and the eurtain over the clock-dial, substantially as and t'or the purpose described.

2. In a combined presence-indicator and mail-d ist ributer, the combination,with a t'rame or case divided into compartments orboxes provided with doors adapted te open and close such boxes, ot' a slit into each compartment,

and the im'licating` devices displayed upon the door, consisting of the clock-dial with indicator-hands, the detachable button carrying the room number, the name or card space provided for, and the series ot' rollers L, M, and N, substantially as and t'or the purpose described.

ln testimony whereotl I aliix my signature, in presence ol' two witnesses, this 250th day of August, 188g.

ROCH R. GAREAU.

\\'itnesses:

JoHx SCHUMAN, J. PAUL MAYBE. 

